The Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (Russian: Респу́блика Се́верная Осе́тия–Ала́ния; Ossetic: Республикæ Цæгат Ирыстон — Алани) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). The direct romanization of the Russian name of the republic is Respublika Severnaya Osetiya-Alaniya. Its name in Ossetic transliterates (in the ISO 9-system) as Respublikă Căgat Iryston - Alani.
The Republic is located in the northern Caucasus. The northern part of the republic is situated in the Stavropol Plain. 22% of the republic's territory is covered by forests.
• Area: 8,000 square kilometers (3,088.8 sq mi)
• Borders:
o internal: Kabardino-Balkar Republic (W/NW/N), Stavropol Krai (N), Chechen Republic (NE/E), Republic of Ingushetia (E/SE)
o international: Georgia (including South Ossetia) (SE/S/SW)
• Highest point: Mount Dzhimara (4,780 meters (15,682 ft))
• Maximum N->S distance: 130 kilometers (81 mi)
• Maximum E->W distance: 120 kilometers (75 mi)
North Ossetia-Alania is located in the Moscow Time Zone (MSK/MSD). UTC offset is +0300 (MSK)/+0400 (MSD).
Natural resources include minerals (copper, silver, zinc), timber, mineral waters, hydroelectric power, and untapped reserves of oil and gas.
Despite the inevitable economic burden of a sizeable refugee population, North Ossetia is the most well-to-do republic in the northern Caucasus.[citation needed] It is the most urbanized and the most industrialized, with factories producing metals (lead, zinc, tungsten, etc.), electronics, chemicals, and processed foods.
Local agriculture focuses primarily on livestock, especially sheep and goats, and the cultivation of grains, fruit, and cotton.
There is an airport in Vladikavkaz. Overall, the transport infrastructure is well-developed, with railroads and automobile roads being the principal means of transportation. The famous Georgian Military Road connects Vladikavkaz with Transcaucasia.